Erick Ekam stabbed Mohamed Aadam Mohamed so brutally that the knife snapped off during the attack in Camden last September, the Old Bailey heard as Ekam's second trial began.

But Ekam claims his actions were in self-defence and that he was afraid of Mr Mohamed who, according to a witness in court on December 13, had shot someone days earlier.

After his first trial was aborted over the summer, Kentish Town’s Ekam, 18, is back in the dock at the Old Bailey accused of the knife attack which took place in Hampstead Road, near Mornington Crescent, on September 4, 2017.

Opening the prosecution case last week, Allison Hunter QC claimed Ekam stabbed Mr Mohamed in a “ferocious” targeted attack, and chased him across Hampstead Road brandishing the bloodied weapon even as he tried to flee.

She also told the jury it was clear the defendant and victim had known one another.

On Thursday, Ekam’s defence team called Ekam’s “friend of a friend” Rashaun Akers-Gaspard, who gave evidence alleging Mr Mohamed had shot him less than a fortnight before he died.

Mr Akers-Gaspard told the jury he knew Mr Mohamed as “Mitch” and had been shot by him on August 27 in the Torriano estate.

Questioned by defence barrister Michael Newport, the witness said: “I was outside in the estate. I was sitting on the stairs on the phone.

“I looked to my left and I saw three people coming onto the estate, and one of them was holding a gun.

“I said on the phone ‘I’ll have to call you back’ and I started running.”

The witness showed the court the scar on his back where he claims the bullet entered, and said he still has the bullet in his shoulder.

Prosecuting, Nathan Rasiah drew attention to Mr Akers-Gaspard’s conviction in December last year for carrying a kitchen knife in a public place.

The witness, who was brought up in Camden but now lives in Hackney, confirmed to the court he shared a number of mutual acquaintances with Ekam, who he knew “through William”.

He said he knew Mr Mohamed because the victim was “around the area”, and they had played football together.